Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $97,870/year ($47.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $99,929 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,713/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About speech-language pathologists
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What this looks like in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Speech-language pathologists pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,713/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for speech-language pathologists in metros near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $96K | $98K |
| Roanoke | $92K | $98K |
| Charlottesville | $95K | $96K |
| Lynchburg | $93K | $105K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Speech-Language Pathologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Speech-Language Pathologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119K | +22% | 16,930 |
| Colorado | $111K | +13% | 4,420 |
| District of Columbia | $109K | +12% | 390 |
| Washington | $106K | +8% | 3,570 |
| Nevada | $105K | +7% | 1,270 |
| Rhode Island | $104K | +6% | 720 |
| Delaware | $103K | +5% | 690 |
| Alaska | $103K | +5% | 340 |
| Oregon | $103K | +5% | 1,600 |
| New Jersey | $102K | +4% | 6,840 |
| Massachusetts | $101K | +4% | 5,290 |
| New York | $101K | +3% | 15,310 |
| Connecticut | $100K | +2% | 2,390 |
| Florida | $100K | +2% | 10,080 |
| Texas | $100K | +2% | 19,120 |
| Maryland | $99K | +1% | 3,510 |
| New Mexico | $99K | +1% | 1,250 |
| Arizona | $98K | -0% | 3,390 |
| Hawaii | $98K | -0% | 270 |
| Georgia | $97K | -1% | 4,030 |
| Virginia | $96K | -2% | 4,460 |
| Illinois | $95K | -3% | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $93K | -5% | 7,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $93K | -5% | 6,570 |
| Utah | $92K | -6% | 1,460 |
| South Carolina | $91K | -7% | 2,190 |
| Minnesota | $89K | -9% | 3,890 |
| Missouri | $89K | -9% | 3,230 |
| Michigan | $89K | -9% | 4,730 |
| Indiana | $87K | -11% | 3,310 |
| North Carolina | $86K | -12% | 5,600 |
| Tennessee | $85K | -14% | 3,320 |
| Oklahoma | $84K | -14% | 1,870 |
| Idaho | $84K | -14% | 1,210 |
| Nebraska | $84K | -14% | 1,310 |
| Arkansas | $84K | -15% | 2,430 |
| Kentucky | $84K | -15% | 2,610 |
| New Hampshire | $83K | -15% | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $83K | -15% | 2,940 |
| Maine | $83K | -16% | 640 |
| Vermont | $82K | -16% | 430 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -16% | 240 |
| Iowa | $81K | -17% | 1,540 |
| West Virginia | $81K | -17% | 880 |
| Kansas | $80K | -18% | 1,690 |
| Montana | $79K | -20% | 490 |
| Mississippi | $78K | -20% | 1,790 |
| North Dakota | $75K | -23% | 630 |
| Alabama | $74K | -25% | 2,060 |
| Louisiana | $70K | -29% | 3,000 |
| South Dakota | $66K | -33% | 410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track speech-language pathologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a speech-language pathologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 28.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,927/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is speech-language pathologist a high-paying job in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $97,870 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,450, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $131,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,011/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 28.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a speech-language pathologists salary go in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median speech-language pathologists salary is worth about $99,929 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do speech-language pathologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.